1. < Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases
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TIA symptoms but ALL tests come back negative for anything

Posted by calanbrown @calanbrown, Mar 14, 2025

I am looking for someone that has had a similar experience. TIA symptoms,was brought to the emergency room and admitted and treated as possible stroke patient. All tests come back negative for stroke related attack. Brain and heart and blood showed nothing indications of anything at all. Ruled out diabetic problems, medication problems, drinking or drug problems, physical or physical activity problems.

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neisie13 | @neisie13 | Sep 4 10:08am
In reply to @susanpmadigan "Hi Neisie Yes, they put my husband on a baby aspirin every day and also he..." + (show)
Profile picture for susanpmadigan @susanpmadigan

Hi Neisie
Yes, they put my husband on a baby aspirin every day and also he did need to go on statins. He probably should have been on them 10 years ago however he always complains that he has leg cramps. Now he is fine because he is drinking a lot of water. I make sure of it each day lol and my husband did have the MRA of his head and neck as well. All they saw on these scans was that he did have little TIAs that were very old so they were non-significant. When we got off the plane and went to my son‘s house, he woke about five in the morning complaining of a terrific pain in the back of his neck and blurry vision and could not move both arms. He also felt nauseous . I really got scared and thought it was a stroke, but the results showed that there was no stroke, and the doctors came to the conclusion that his arteries may have been clogged so therefore he is now on Repath and satins and baby aspirin. My husband did say that by drinking a lot of water he does not have the cramping from the statins. I hope this is a help to you.

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@susanpmadigan Thank you for filling me in on the details of what happened. It does sound like he has had all the appropriate tests and is on the best preventive medications so hopefully his symptoms won't return. I have been on a statin for years and drink plenty of water but didn't have the same symptoms and they pointed more to a TIA. I am relieved that all my tests have come back normal. I do have an autoimmune disease so maybe that is playing a part. I hope you have a great fall season and that you will still be able to see your son either at home or in Florida!!

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susanpmadigan | @susanpmadigan | Sep 4 10:41am

Thank you ! Hopefully you will feel well and not have any more occurrences. Enjoy the autumn weather 😊😊

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ahammonds | @ahammonds | Sep 6 6:56pm

I was just admitted to the hospital 2 weeks ago, almost same exact situation. Stroke like symptoms, bloodwork, MRI and CT Scan ruled out. I was told it was TIA but I also have bradycardia. They told me I could possibly have a POTS diagnosis also but because I failed 2 tilt table tests they can’t be for sure. I still live daily with dizziness, extreme fatigue, headaches, weakness, bad brain fog, numbness and tingling in fingers, arms and sometimes legs, blurred or spotty vision and neck pain. I can’t find anyone in my area to help figure out what it is and they are currently trying to refer me to Vanderbilt for a consultation with a POTS specialist and Neurologist.

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ericn4600 | @ericn4600 | Sep 10 10:32am

Almost all medical tests have a false negative rate. That is when the test indicates no disease when the disease is actually present.

Regarding strokes, CT scans often miss strokes, particularly those in the brainstem.

Although MRIs are much better, they can miss strokes as well and there may be an incorrect interpretation of the MRI results.

Of course, it is also possible that you have not had a TMI, but rather some condition that has similar symptoms, at least in your case.

Hope that is helpful,

Eric

Eric

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calanbrown | @calanbrown | Sep 10 3:23pm
In reply to @ericn4600 "Almost all medical tests have a false negative rate. That is when the test indicates no..." + (show)
Profile picture for ericn4600 @ericn4600

Almost all medical tests have a false negative rate. That is when the test indicates no disease when the disease is actually present.

Regarding strokes, CT scans often miss strokes, particularly those in the brainstem.

Although MRIs are much better, they can miss strokes as well and there may be an incorrect interpretation of the MRI results.

Of course, it is also possible that you have not had a TMI, but rather some condition that has similar symptoms, at least in your case.

Hope that is helpful,

Eric

Eric

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Thank you for your input. If it Wasn’t a TIA, nobody seems to know what
else it could be.

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deborahfischer | @deborahfischer | Sep 17 9:41pm

I live with a cerebral cavernous malformation (cluster of weakened blood vessels in my brainstem) and have had two bleeds. I awoke 9/11 with massive right head pressure, imbalance, and said to my SO, "I'm having difficulty getting the words to come out--slow motion." The symptoms subsided but then I had a headache, which subsided hours later.

Went to ER 9/16...yes days later. Anyway, they saw my CCM but said it did not bleed according to the report and advised me to have my PCP order an MRI. I asked her if it also came back negative if it meant that I did not suffer a TIA (which I suspected---I've also had serious difficulty swallowing for 7 weeks). The ER doctor told me that even with negative imaging, it is highly suspect as a TIA. I wish I had gone earlier but they advised that the tests can often show negative even if a TIA occurs.

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